A Hanging
How is the prisoner scheduled to die?
Death by being hanged
What is to avoid looking weak in front of the crowd?
This is the primary reason Orwell gives for shooting the elephant, despite his moral objections
What is political?
Orwell argues that all writing is this, even when it seems neutral.
What is the English language?
Orwell argues that the decline of this is both a cause and effect of political and economic problems.
How do the bystanders act?
Completely emotionally and physically detached
What is imperialism?
Orwell uses his experience in Burma to critique this political system
What is sheer egoism?
One of Orwell’s earliest motivations for writing, even as a child.
What is a dying organism?
Orwell compares modern English to this decaying thing to emphasize its deterioration.
What is the theme of A Hanging?
Colonialism
What is the theme?
Colonialism
What is political purpose?
This motivation involves Orwell’s desire to make political writing into an art.
What is dying metaphors?
One of the five main faults Orwell identifies in modern prose, often seen in phrases like “toe the line.”
Where is human value seen in A Hanging?
When the prisoner steps aside of the puddle
What was the main characters job?
A police officer in Burma
What is poetry?
Orwell claims he abandoned this type of writing in his teens, believing it was “unfashionable.”
What is pretentious diction?
Orwell criticizes this kind of language that uses big, vague words to hide meaning or avoid truth.
The executioners and others shared a drink while talking about it
What is an actor or puppet?
Orwell describes feeling like this type of person, emphasizing the irony of power in colonialism.
What is aesthetic enthusiasm?
The motive that drives Orwell to describe things as they are, often in vivid detail.
What is cut it out?
One of Orwell’s rules says: “If it is possible to cut a word out, always do this.”